The present invention relates to filters for the removal of particulate material from diesel engine exhaust streams, and more particularly to porous ceramic diesel exhaust filters of honeycomb configuration offering improved resistance to thermal shock and other damage under conditions encountered in diesel engine exhaust systems.
Ceramic honeycomb particulate filters or traps have proven to be extremely efficient at removing carbon soot from the exhaust of diesel engines. Such filters are generally of so-called wall-flow design in that the soot is separated from the engine exhaust stream by capture on the porous channel walls of a honeycomb filter body as the exhaust gases are forced through the porous ceramic walls separating an array of filter inlet channels from an adjacently interspersed array of filter outlet channels. Wall-flow filters can be designed to provide for nearly complete filtration of soot without significantly hindering the exhaust flow.
In the normal course of using such a filter in the manner described, a layer of soot collects on the surfaces of the filter inlet channels. The reduced wall permeability caused by the presence of this soot layer increases the pressure drop across the filter and thus increases back pressure in the engine exhaust system. This causes the engine to work harder and adversely affects engine operating efficiency.
This soot-induced pressure drop periodically increases to a point where regeneration of the filter becomes necessary. Regeneration typically involves heating the filter to initiate the combustion and removal by oxidation of the carbon soot layer. Desirably this regeneration is accomplished under controlled conditions of engine management involving a slow burn of the soot deposits over a period of several minutes. The temperature in the filter during such regeneration can rise from about 400–600° C. to a maximum of about 800–1000° C.
Under certain circumstances, however, a so-called “uncontrolled regeneration” can occur, wherein soot combustion is initiated coincidentally with or immediately preceding a period of engine idle at low exhaust gas flows and relatively oxygen-rich conditions. In that case the combustion of the soot may produce large temperature gradients and temperature spikes much higher than 1000° C., which can thermally shock and crack, or even melt, the filter.
In addition to capturing the carbon soot, the filter also traps metal oxide “ash” particles that are carried by the exhaust gas. These particles are not combustible and, therefore, are not removed during regeneration. If temperatures during an uncontrolled regeneration are sufficiently high, the ash can sinter to the filter and/or react with the filter to initiate partial melting.
In view of these circumstances the development of filter designs and engine control systems that can better manage the regeneration cycle and improve the resistance of these ceramic exhaust filters to thermal regeneration damage continues to be a major focus of diesel engine exhaust system engineering effort.